FA Vase - Bromsgrove Sporting (0) 2-1 (1) Tipton Town.
Bromsgrove Sporting managed to grind out a result against a determined Tipton Town side on a sunny autumn afternoon at the Victoria Ground. Although Sporting were far from their best for the majority of the match, in the end it was a deserved result, with a tiring Tipton defence conceding two goals in the last twenty minutes.
Talk before the match was of the turmoil at Tipton; playing predominantly a youth team for their four previous Midland Football League Premier Division matches, they had conceding over twenty goals, a run of form which saw them slip towards the relegation places. However, in the week prior to the match, a new manager had been named, in Nicky Pugh, who, upon his arrival, had signed over ten new players. Whether they could perform was a mystery to all in attendance.
During the early exchanges it seemed not as Sporting dominated. Chrisi Conway could have scored in the first minute from had a ball squared from last week's hero, Sean Brain, not been intercepted by the Tipton keeper. Further chances fell to Brain and Ryan Mahon but neither could test the keeper.
As the half progressed, the new Tipton side began to look more organised and in the 31st minute, against the run of play, they broke out from their own penalty area, playing a number of precise passes before striker, Ble Pangne neatly finished past Jake Bedford in the Sporting goal. Sporting supporters voiced their discontent at how easy the goal was for Tipton, and for the rest of the half it didn't really get any better. 1-0 to Tipton was probably a fair score-line at half-time.
The second half started in a similar fashion, with Sporting looking un-composed on the ball and void of any creativity. The catalyst for change was the introduction of Aaron Daniels for Sean Brain. Finally Sporting had someone who could hold the ball up in the opposition half. The pressure began to build on a tiring Tipton side, who had an unusual amount of injuries to contend with. The physio appeared to be a 12th player at times; such was the regularity with which she was on the pitch.
The pressure told in the 71st minute, when a beautiful cross from the left flank was headed home by Chris Conway, a man who has a useful habit of being in the right place at the right time. With Sporting in the ascendancy, more chances came to fruition, and in the 80th minute, Conway cut in from the right and was just two quick for the Tipton sriker Pagne who took him down leaving the referee with no option but to point at the spot. Sam Wills stepped up and confidently hit the ball into the bottom left corner to send the Sporting faithful into raptures. A second comeback from 1-0 down in as many games was complete.
After this, despite their best efforts, Tipton didn't threaten again and Sporting managed to see the game out fairly comfortably. The draw for the 1st round proper at 12 o'clock on Monday awaits. Here's hoping for another home tie and another great afternoon at the Victoria Ground.
Sporting (Red/white shirts, blue shorts, blue socks): Jake Bedford, Chris Duggan, Chris Sockett (Danny Ludlow 70 mins), Simon Fitter (Capt.), Craig Jones, Sean Brain (Aaron Daniels 59 mins), Will Tibbetts, Reece Hewitt, Chrisi Conway, Sam Wills, Ryan Mahon.
Subs not used: Dan Butler, Scott Smith, Adam Went (GK).
Scorers: Chrisi Conway (72 mins), Sam Wills (80 mins, pen)
Yellows: Ryan Mahon (41 mins), Sam Wills (90 mins)
Tipton (orange shirts, orange shorts, orange socks): Matt Martin, Robbie Duffield, Jamie Fox (Jamal Thomas 70 mins), Mike Wardle (Capt.), Jamie Moore, Jordan Bladen (Curtis Hale 90+4 mins), Ben Hadley, Sam Hesson, Ble Pagne, Clayton Peddie, Kurtis Perry Ryan Kingdom 83 mins).
Subs not used: Cassie Pole, Rheece Dawes
Scorer: Ble Pagne (31 mins)
Yellows: Ble Pagne (63 mins), Curtis Hale (90+6 mins)
Referee: Mr A Robinson (Hereford)
Assistants: Mr S Hughes (Hereford), Mr A Baker (Bromyard)
Crowd: 267
Weather: Mild, dry.
Sporting Man of the Match: Chrisi Conway
Match Report: Adam Warner
F.A.Vase 2nd Round. Qualifying. BROMSGROVE SPORTING 2 TIPTON TOWN 1
A season already fraught with Management and player replacements so early in the campaign might just have begun to gel into something far more positive for the Black Country club as a trio of former playing stalwarts for the club, Nicky Pugh, Paul Henley and Wes Cox began their turn as a concerted group determined to reverse the lowly fortunes already well-ingrained this new season.
Former stars for the club, Mike Wardle and Ben Hadley brought an urgency to the team's play that had been missing this season, the remaining contingent responding positively to dispel the ineptitude of previous fixtures this season and give the eventual winners quite a run for their money.
Early pressure naturally came from Sporting, urged on by a voluble but fair contingent of spectators recorded as 278 but the visitors defended extremely well giving the Black Country club some surety to build upon. Most certainly much of the attacking was done by the home club but a couple of sharp responses engineered by skipper, Mike Wardle, and young Sam Hesson helped sew more than a little concern in the minds of their hosts.
After Sam Wills had spurned a great opportunity to put the home side ahead in the 22nd.min.,Hesson whipped a shot across home keeper, Jake Bedford, the ball just shaving the far post as Tiptonrefused to be cowed. Indeed in a spell full of meritorious effort Tipton then silenced a quite ardent home crowd by taking the lead in the 26th.min. when Ble Pangne coolly worked his way into the home penalty area before smoothly slotting home.
Back came Sporting with renewed vigour and, urged on by great local support, Chris Conway and Wills made great inroads into the visitor's penalty area before splendid anticipation by Tipton's Robbie Duffield halted their progress.
Ryan Mahon was deservedly yellow-carded in the 41st min. for a shocking tackle on Hesson , the Tipton midfielder receiving extensive treatment before being able to resume. With Sporting now striving to find an equaliser Jordan Bladen was forced to concede a corner just on half-time, Jamie Moore heading the resultant flag-kick clear.
A resurgent Sporting began the second half in determined fashion both Wills and Sean Brain turning the Tipton defence but just failing to profit from their exigencies. In the 52nd min. Mike Wardle, who otherwise had a sterling game for Tipton, fluffed his lines when he missed from close range after Perry and Hesson had created the opening. Two injuries followed thereafter for Tipton, Pangnesuffered a blow to his head in the 54th.min and closely following, keeper,Matt Martin received a head injury also after contesting a low cross with the onrushing Conway.
Upon the restart Clayton Peddie had the give way for Tipton as Sporting upped their game still further. The home side went near to breaching Tipton's resistance in the 64th.min, Reece Hewitt heading just over but within a minute had tied up the scores with a far post header by Conway from an inviting left wing cross.
Tipton were now having to withstand serious pressure as Sporting sought to win the tie aided enormously by their voluble spectators. Tipton sadly fell behind in the 70th.min.when Pagne, defending back in his own penalty area, conceded a spot-kick which Conway drilled home emphatically. In the final seconds Duffield valiantly headed over the top from under the cross-bar as Sporting endeavoured to increase their lead.
Overall this was a most encouraging effort by the Black Country lads given their recent afflictions and may just have the wherewithal to help them generate performances under the new Management trio which will garner sufficient points to take them away from the foot of the League.
John. A. Cross - President, Tipton Town F.C.
